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Friday Photos: Capturing Culture

Published June 27, 2014 Art & Teaching , Creativity , Friday Photos Closed
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Art is often a reflection of a society’s culture; it can range from an artist’s response to a specific experience, to a cultural relic born out of a particular time and place.  The Dallas Museum of Art’s collection represents cultures from every continent over the last 5,000 years.  Help us explore the diversity within North Texas by sharing your photographs that capture culture.

Upload your photographs here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/dmaculture 

Click here for guidelines and more information.

Submitted photos will be on view in the DMA’s Center for Creative Connections starting in July.

Jessica Fuentes

C3 Gallery Coordinator

Artist Astrology: Gemini

Published June 26, 2014 Art & Teaching Closed
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This edition of Artist Astrology features one of the DMA’s most beloved Gemini artists, Mary Cassatt (May 25th). Gemini’s are born between May 22nd and June 21st. They are typically categorized as multi-talented, scattered, talkative, and social. Communication is one of the strongest traits of a Gemini, and they may use this skill to clearly express their ideas and opinions. On the other hand, Gemini’s are very versatile and their companions may not be able to keep up with their often-scattered interests. Because of this adaptability, Gemini’s have an easy time making friends. The danger in this behavior may be overexertion and difficulty with time management. Gemini’s constant variety helps them maintain a fun-loving and youthful attitude throughout their lives.

Sleepy Baby, Mary Cassatt, c. 1910, Dallas Museum of Art Munger Fund, 1952.38.M

Sleepy Baby, Mary Cassatt, c. 1910, Dallas Museum of Art Munger Fund, 1952.38.M

 

Mary Cassatt – May 25th

Mary Cassatt did not let anything stop her from pursing her dream, despite many obstacles. Raised in a wealthy family, she was educated according to the typical duties expected of a woman of the time, primarily those aimed at becoming a proper wife. Cassatt, however, realized that this was not her passion and enrolled in art school at age sixteen. Unfulfilled by the curriculum, she left for Europe in 1866 in order to study from the Old Masters firsthand. Her family did not support this decision, and she was forced to pay for her materials and training independently.

As is characteristic of the social Gemini, her career was highly impacted by her relationships, especially that of Edgar Degas. Degas advised Cassatt to pursue her own artistic direction and, after doing so, eleven of Cassatt’s paintings were included in the Impressionist Exhibition of 1879. The exhibition was hugely successful and helped to launch Cassatt’s career. Her work, often focused around women and children in domestic settings, was praised for its objectivity and honesty. Cassatt would continue to play an influential role in the Impressionist movement throughout the late 1800s.

For more Gemini artists in the DMA’s collection, see the works of Paul Gauguin (June 7), Gustave Courbet (June 10th), and Henry Ossawa Tanner (June 21st).

Hayley Prihoda
McDermott Intern for Gallery and Community Teaching

Into the Wild with the DMA

Published June 24, 2014 Community Connection , Family Fun , works of art Closed
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With school out, Go van Gogh volunteers are spending their days in the community, visiting recreation centers, Boys & Girls Clubs, and libraries with art-making programs.  Summer programs are casual, always fun, and sometimes a little wild…in the best possible way!

We’re embracing summertime wildness in all its glory this year, with a new Go van Gogh outreach program called Into the Wild with the DMA.  The program was inspired by the children’s book Mr. Tiger Goes Wild, in which a very proper Mr. Tiger, bored with being so proper all the time, decides that he needs to have a little fun; so, he goes wild.  Really wild!  ROAAAR!!!  It’s a story that all of us—kids, especially—can relate to when the summer heat hits.

Into the Wild, which will be offered at Dallas Public libraries through the remainder of June and July, begins with story time and an animal game.  We then put on our safari hats and venture into the wild depths of the DMA’s collection, exploring big cats and fierce mythical animals in artworks from the African savanna to the Indonesian jungle.

Our art safari ends with time to reflect and create an artwork inspired by one of our discoveries, the DMA’s Japanese Tiger.

If you’d like to join us on an art safari this summer, upcoming program dates and locations are listed below.  Into the Wild is designed for children ages five to nine, but art and animal-lovers of all ages are welcome!   Be sure to call the library ahead of time to confirm space availability, as programs are limited to thirty participants.

JULY

Tuesday, July 1, 10:30 a.m.
Hampton-Illinois, 2951 South Hampton Road, 75224
214-670-7646

Tuesday, July 8, 2:00 p.m.
Dallas West, 2332 Singleton Boulevard, 75212
214-670-6445

Tuesday, July 15, 2:00 p.m.
Audelia, 10045 Audelia Road, 75238
214-670-1350

Thursday, July 17, 2:30 p.m.
Skillman Southwestern, 5707 Skillman Street, 75206
214-670-6078

Tuesday, July 22, 2:00 p.m.
Polk-Wisdom, 7151 Library Lane, 75218
214-670-1947

Friday, July 25, 2:00 p.m.
Lochwood, 11221 Lochwood Boulevard, 75218
214-670-8403

Tuesday, July 29, 2:00 p.m.
Skyline, 6006 Everglade Road, 75227
214-670-0938

Thursday, July 31, 2:00 p.m.
White Rock Hills, 9150 Ferguson Road, 75228
214-670-8843

And if you can’t join us at a library, stop by the Museum and use our In the Swim Family Gallery Guide to chart your own summertime animal adventure!

Amy Copeland
Manager of Go van Gogh and Community Teaching Programs

Friday Photos: Summertime, and the Livin’ is Easy

Published June 20, 2014 Friday Photos , works of art Closed
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Borrowing lyrics from Ella Fitzgerald’s Summertime tune seemed to fit with this Friday Photo post theme of Summer fun! Stumped for what to do this summer? You can take a hint from some works of art in the DMA’s collection.

On the Edge of White Rock Lake, Edward G. Eisenlohr, 1933

On the Edge of White Rock Lake, Edward G. Eisenlohr, 1933, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of A. H. Belo Corporation and The Dallas Morning News

 

Why not take a run or bike ride along White Rock Lake? This urban oasis has provided inspiration to many North Texans over the years, including Edward G. Eisenlohr who documented the early twentieth-century landscape of Dallas in over 1,000 drawings, watercolors, pastels, oil paintings, and lithographs.

Beach Party, Dallas City Hall, Lynn Lennon, 1984

Beach Party, Dallas City Hall, Lynn Lennon, 1984, Dallas Museum of Art, Mr. and Mrs. Homer B. Jester Fund

Jump in! One of the best ways to beat the heat is taking a dip in a local swimming pool, but would you ever think you could swim at Dallas City Hall?! Well back in 1984 that dream was a reality. William H. Whyte had the idea to revitalize the area around City Hall, and these ideas took shape as a beach party! In June of 1984, the city trucked in tons of sand, and everyone grabbed their swimsuits to soak in some sun at City Hall. Luckily photographer Lynn Lennon, who was working on a project about public spaces for the Dallas Public Library, captured images of the epic event. Find out more about this quirky time in Dallas history here.

George Inness, Summer Foliage, 1883

George Inness, Summer Foliage, 1883, Dallas Museum of Art, bequest of Joel T. Howard

If the pool isn’t your scene, then take advantage of the outdoors by packing a picnic or taking a day trip to one of the wonderful Texas State Parks in the DFW area. Artist George Inness often took inspiration from the outdoors, and sought to give his viewers the experience of nature through the shifting effects of light, atmosphere and season in his work.

And perhaps the best summertime activity of all is the block party, where neighborhood or community members can come together to celebrate with delicious food, good music and great conversation. And it just so happens that TONIGHT is the Dallas Arts District block party! Come celebrate the summer at this annual event that brings together programs like the Crow Collection After Dark, ’til Midnight at the Nasher Sculpture Center, and of course the exciting activities of Late Nights at the DMA!

 

This is our second annual Fourth of July block party. This year thirty-three families came for beer, barbequed chicken, corn on the cob, potato salad, green salad, macaroni salad, and watermelon. After eating and drinking we staged our parade and fireworks., Bill Owens, 1971

This is our second annual Fourth of July block party. This year thirty-three families came for beer, barbequed chicken, corn on the cob, potato salad, green salad, macaroni salad, and watermelon. After eating and drinking we staged our parade and fireworks., Bill Owens, 1971, Dallas Museum of Art, Lay Family Acquisition Fund

Danielle Schulz
Teaching Specialist

Art’s Inspiration

Published June 19, 2014 Creativity , Museum Insight , Resources , works of art Closed
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Image of Art Smith photo by Arthur Mones, 1979

Image of Art Smith photo by Arthur Mones, 1979

Last weekend, From Village to Vogue: The Modernist Jewelry of Art Smith opened at the Dallas Museum of Art.  In connection with this exhibition, the Center for Creative Connections is pleased to have on view a “Baker” Bracelet by Art Smith, along with a collection of tools owned by the artist.  Because a different “Baker” Bracelet is also on view in the exhibition, we faced the challenge of providing information that would expand on and not simply duplicate the information included in the exhibition.  In the months prior to installing the bracelet, I  learned that “Baker” referred to Josephine Baker.  So, naturally, my first question (and the one that I thought visitors might have) was “Who is Josephine Baker?”

As it turns out, Josephine Baker led quite an amazing life.  Baker was an African-American dancer and singer, who rose to fame in France.  In 1926, her performance in the popular show La Folie du Jour cemented her celebrity status.  During World War II, she worked for the French Resistance both entertaining troops and smuggling hidden messages in her sheet music.  After the war she returned to the United States and was an advocate for the Civil Rights movement.  Her efforts were acknowledged by the NAACP, who named May 20th “Josephine Baker Day.”  Baker, loved for her singing, dancing, fashion and beauty, was greatly admired by artists and writers of the time such as Langston Hughes, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Pablo Picasso.  However, what I found most intriguing was that she inspired several sculptures by Alexander Calder.  Calder is known to have been an influence on modernist jewelers like Art Smith, and so their mutual interest in Baker caught my attention.

 

What similarities can you notice in the lines, shapes, angles, and curves between the bracelet and the images of Josephine Baker?

Visit the Center for Creative Connections to see the “Baker” Bracelet and Art Smith’s tools and to learn more about Smith’s inspiration and process.  On view through December 7, 2014.

Jessica Fuentes
C3 Gallery Coordinator

Friday Photos: Old Haunts, New Friends

Published June 13, 2014 Friday Photos , Just for Fun , Museum Insight , works of art 2 Comments
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Museums often seem to inspire very personal and strong emotional bonds, and it is not uncommon to hear people talk of specific works in a collection or favorite locations within a building as akin to “friends and family.”  As a former DMA Education employee who has recently returned to the Museum, I have enjoyed spending the last several weeks rediscovering some of my favorite spaces and works of art here.  Of course, along the way, I have stumbled across some new works of art and changes at the DMA that I am becoming newly acquainted with!   I thought I would share this –admittedly quirky and idiosyncratic– tour of “old haunts and new friends.”

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I have always loved the tree that grows in the middle of our upper office area, particularly when viewed from one of the hallways radiating from it.   Also, the tucked-away chairs at the corner windows on the fourth floor are my favorite place to sit and read a few pages of a book during a break, followed only by the view of Fleischner Courtyard from the Mayer Library (Did you know we have a fantastic library the public is welcome to use for research?)

 

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Another favorite object is one of Winston Churchill’s paint sets, tucked away with a wonderful assortment of his letters, telegrams, small works on paper, and assorted memorabilia in the Wendy and Emery Reves Collection.

 

Magritte_Our Daily Bread-Le Pain Quotidien_1942 IMG_20140613_145712

As a lover and student of Surrealism, I was delighted to see two works on view that I had not previously viewed in person: René Magritte’s Our Daily Bread (Le Pain Quotidien), 1942, and Dorothea Tanning’s Jeux d’Enfants, 1942.  The deep-set frame of  the Tanning is particularly lovely, I think!

 

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Nearest the Ross entrance in the Founder’s Room are a set of window panels designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, originally from the Francis W. Little House in Deephaven, Minnesota.  It was interesting viewing the geometrically-designed “grilles” in the window against one of the orange-and-white striped hanging cloth panels in Daniel Buren’s Sanction of the Museum from 1973.

Finally, there is a little tucked away kitchenette in the Museum’s office area where I was always fascinated by a framed Dallas Morning News front page from 1984 announcing the donation of the Reves Collection, and I was pleased to discover it was still there.  I love how this is an historical artifact of the worldly context during which this important collection was added to the Museum, a preserved moment in time akin to the recreation of the Reves’ villa here.

 

Johan Christian Dahl_Frederiksborg Castle by Moonlight_1817 IMG_20140613_102630

Two newer features of the Museum that I am quickly becoming quite fond of are the recently acquired painting by Norwegian Romantic painter Johan Christian Dahl, Frederiksborg Castle by Moonlight, and the Conservation Studio across from the Founder’s Room.  Not only is the Conservation Studio fascinating to glimpse into, but the works on display outside it offer insightful peeks into little-seen aspects of objects like gallery labels and abandoned paintings hidden by frames.  (And, if you look carefully at my reflection in the window, it appears the female figure in the painting is tapping me on the shoulder.)

What are some of your favorite works of art and tucked away places here at the Dallas Museum of Art?  Please leave your examples in the comments!

 

Artworks shown (in order of appearance):

  • René Magritte, Our Daily Bread (Le Pain Quotidien), 1942, Dallas Museum of Art, Gift of Nancy B. Hamon in honor of Margaret McDermott.
  • Dorothea Tanning’s Jeux d’Enfants, 1942, Lent by Private Collection.
  • Frank Lloyd Wright, Window panels from the Francis W. Little House, “Northome” in Deephaven, Minnesota, 1912-14, Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Ralph Greenlee, Jr.
  • Johan Christian Dahl, Frederiksborg Castle, 1817, oil on canvas, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, Mrs. John B. O’Hara Fund.

 

Josh Rose
Manager of Docent and Teacher Programs

A Bright Evening Indeed

Published June 12, 2014 Art & Teaching Closed
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Teens, adults, hipsters, parents, and those strolling the halls of the DMA were treated to a wonderful evening of spoken word, music, and light last Thursday, when Denton-based collective  Spiderweb Salon hosted a poetry showcase with fifteen readers and musicians. The artists included participants from the Center for Creative Connection’s adult programs and Urban Armor teen programs mixed with well-known poets and musicians from the Denton area who are currently part of the Spiderweb Salon.

Inspired by the DMA’s exhibition Nur: Light in Art and Science in the Islamic World, Spiderweb Salon called the event A Bright Evening and the musicians and writers used light as the basis of their compositions.  The showcase was hosted by poet and Spiderweb Salon co-founder Courtney Marie. Below are some highlights from the evening:

Listen to one of the musical performances:

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=4041772308 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small track=600836008]

We were pleased to feature the following poets and musicians performing at A Bright Evening:

Bess Whitby

Evan Simmons

Chris Garver

Chris George

Ann Marie Newman

Ryan Creery

Monique Johnson

Nate Logan

Ennis Howard

Conor Wallace

Frank Polgar

Erica GDLR

Jordan Batson

Kiki Ishihara

Carson Bolding

Make sure to follow Spiderweb Salon on Facebook and stay connected to what is happening in the Center for Creative Connections!

Amanda Batson
Program Coordinator for the Center for Creative Connections

 

Friday Photos: Hope, Happiness, and Love

Published June 6, 2014 Friday Photos Closed
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Last week, I wrote a blog post for our Uncrated Blog about a community project we are currently hosting in C3. Any and all visitors who enter C3 are invited to contribute to a growing collection of words that relate in some way to the concept of light, inspired by our current exhibition Nur: Light in Art and Science from the Islamic World. Check out the post and see the work of art that inspired this project, as well as a time-lapse video of our tree slowly but steadily budding leaves with our visitors’ ideas.

Nur students

Many visitors stop to read the words that others have left behind, regardless of whether they add one of their own. Below is a just a sampling of the thousands of visitor contributions that have been added over the past two months. The size of the words is directly proportionate to how many times they appear on the tree.

Nur wordcloud

Visit Nur: Light in Art and Science from the Islamic World through Sunday, June 29, 2014. Visit C3 afterward and add your own idea related to the concept of light!

Melissa Gonzales
C3 Gallery Manager

 

Welcome 2014 Summer Art Camp Interns!

Published June 5, 2014 People 1 Comment
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School is almost out and the temperature is rising–summer is here at the DMA! As we gear up for exciting summer programs at the Museum, we’re happy to welcome five new members to our team: our 2014 summer interns! Summer interns are an integral part of Summer Art Camps, making sure campers, teachers and parents alike are having the best educational experience possible.

Say hello to our interns! These amazing portraits were created during our orientation meeting.

Ashley artAshley Ham just completed her first year of graduate school in the Art Education program at The University of Texas at Austin. Originally from Abilene, she received a BFA in Two Dimensional Design from Abilene Christian University. And if she could be any animal she would be a bear, because she’s on a bit of a honey kick right now!Laila art

 

Laila Jiwani is a rising senior at Texas A&M University, with a focus in International Studies and French. Quite the world traveler, she spent four months studying language, culture and society at Université Moulay Ismaïl  in Meknes, Morocco. Laila’s animal of choice would be a bird, because then she wouldn’t have to pay for those flights abroad!

Miyoko art

 

Miyoko Pettinger just completed her first year at Arcadia University in Glenside, PA, where she is pursuing a degree in Psychology with an concentration in art therapy. An avid musician, she plays the piano and cello and has been a part of the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra for 11 years! If Miyoko could be an animal she would be a sloth, because it looks like a pretty comfortable life! denise art

 

Denise Sandoval, the youngest member of the intern cohort, is a soon-to-be graduate of the Irma L. Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School in Dallas. Her plan is to study Elementary Education when she enters Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX in the fall. Perhaps her experience working at the Dallas Zoo influenced her choice of animal to-be: she chose a giraffe because they seem to be one of the nicer species.

wilhelmina artWilhelmina Watts, the second Southwestern University member of the intern group, will begin her second year of study this fall. She is pursuing a double degree in Art History and English, with a minor in Chinese. She’ll put her studio art and collage experience to use this summer during art camp. And her animal to-be of choice? A Goat. Why? Because it’s adorable!

 
 

When you visit the DMA this summer–we hope to see you often!–you’ll recognize these new faces around the Museum and the Center for Creative Connections. Say hello and welcome them to the DMA family!

Danielle Schulz
Teaching Specialist

Welcome Josh Rose

Published June 3, 2014 People Closed
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I am excited to introduce you to our newest teammate and colleague, Josh Rose. Josh started four weeks ago as our new Manager of Docent and Teacher Programs and we are thrilled to have him on board. Josh will oversee the DMA docent program, teen docents, school partnerships with Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and the Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School, and a wide variety of programs for teachers. Josh will also be responsible for the Museum Forum for Teachers and will manage gallery tours for K-12 students, higher-ed, and adult audiences.

If you are a longtime attendee of Late Nights, gallery talks, or our lecture series, you may recognize Josh from his time here at the DMA six years ago managing adult programs. During his time away from the DMA, Josh has been immersed in teaching, serving as an adjunct instructor at multiple institutions, including the University of North Texas, Eastfield College and Brookhaven College, where he taught a range of courses from Art Appreciation to advanced art history classes on comics and Surrealism. Prior to working in public programs at the DMA, Josh interned at the Nasher Sculpture Center in education and conservation, and then worked there as a staff member in the Education Department. Josh has an MA in art history from the University of North Texas. His thesis was titled: When Reality was Surreal: Lee Miller’s world War II War Correspondence for Vogue. Josh also has a BFA in Studio Art from Texas State University in San Marcos.

Here are four fun facts about Josh:

  • I drew a comic strip in college and graduate school featured in a nationally-distributed anthology published by Andrews McMeel.
  • I once answered an open casting call for the role of Robin in Batman Forever.
  • As a conservation intern, my first task was power-sanding an Alexander Calder sculpture.
  • I’ve worked hard turning my daughter into a rabid Doctor Who fan, and she in turn has turned me into a rabid My Little Pony fan.

We are excited for Josh’s fresh perspective that he brings and delighted to have him as our FAST (Family, Access, Schools, and Teachers) friend!

Amanda Blake
Head of Family, Access, and School Experiences

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